Africa-Press. The French Senate discussed, during a public session, a framework bill aimed at simplifying procedures for the restitution of cultural property that was stolen or acquired unlawfully.
The bill comes amid growing demands from African countries seeking the return of heritage objects as part of efforts to rebuild their historical and cultural memory. Currently, each restitution requires a separate legislative process, as Parliament must pass a specific text known as a “special law.” This procedure is considered lengthy and complex and is ill-suited both to the increasing number of restitution requests submitted by affected countries and to the need to address these cases within a unified and clear legal framework.
The new framework law proposes a simplified mechanism for the return of cultural property, based on transparent criteria grounded in rigorous scholarly review of requests, with the requesting states involved at all stages of the examination process.
Senator Catherine Morin-Desailly, the bill’s lead rapporteur, has initiated several legislative proposals related to the right to restitution of cultural property, considering this project the culmination of a legislative and intellectual process spanning nearly twenty years.
Morin-Desailly said that attitudes have shifted markedly in recent years, even within French museums, explaining: “Today, we are seriously addressing issues of provenance, our view of our own history, and how to reopen dialogue with requesting states, which are often former colonized countries. This dialogue is not limited to restitution alone, but also opens the door to building fruitful cultural partnerships.”
The law applies to property whose unlawful possession can be precisely established on the basis of reliable historical sources, provided that the objects originate from the territory of the current requesting state and that their acquisition occurred between 1815 and 1972. The bill also provides for the creation of a bilateral scientific committee, overseen by the French Ministry of Culture, tasked with assessing requests and determining whether they meet the specified criteria.
Thirteen countries, most of them from the African continent, have submitted restitution requests that could fall under the scope of this framework law. Among them is Benin, which is seeking the return of the famous “Gou Gou” statue, a wrought-iron sculpture created in the Kingdom of Dahomey in 1858 before being seized by French colonial troops.
In this context, Beninese historian Alain Godonou, special adviser to the President of the Republic on heritage and museum affairs, affirmed that the statue’s natural home is the International Voodoo Museum, saying: “When visiting Benin today and heading to Porto-Novo, one cannot miss this majestic museum at the city’s entrance. It represents a major addition to the urban landscape and is eagerly awaiting the return of the statue of the god Gou.”
Among other countries that have submitted official requests, Algeria is seeking the restitution of belongings and personal effects of the religious and military leader Emir Abdelkader, while Senegal is pursuing the return of items from the ‘Treasure of Ségou,’ which was seized by French colonial forces.
Domestically, the framework bill enjoys broad political consensus in France. It was unanimously approved by the Senate’s political committees last week, strengthening its prospects for adoption and supporting France’s move toward addressing the issue of cultural property restitution within a unified and more flexible legal framework.
